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Time for rhyme – Readilearn

Yesterday, 2 March was Dr Seuss’s birthday. How did you celebrate? Did you read a favourite Dr Seuss story – maybe even more than just one or two? Which is your favourite?

Children love the rhythmic, rhyming stories written by Theodor Seuss Geisel who was born in 1904. (A question for your children – how old would he be if he was still alive today?)

Having fun with rhyme is a great way for children to learn about the sounds of language.

In the beginning, the rhymes can be real or nonsense words, as are many employed by Dr Seuss, training the ear to hear. Children are delighted when they discover pairs of words that rhyme. It is great when parents and teachers share their excitement of discovery too.

Like those of Dr Seuss, many stories and poems for young children are written in rhyme. The rhyme is pleasant to the ear, and encourages children to join in with the reading or telling, using meaning and sound to predict the next rhyming word.

When children are ready, familiar rhyming texts are often the first they read independently, using a combination of memory and print. How many children do you know who first started reading with a Dr Seuss book; such as The Cat in the Hat, Fox in Socks, One Fish Two Fish, Ten Apples Up On Top, or any other favourite.

For my part in the celebration, I joined in with a challenge extended by Vivian Kirkfield to write a story in 50 words. The reason behind the 50 word challenge is that, although the total word count of Green Eggs and Ham is over 700, only 50 unique words were used. (Some of your children may like to check if that is so. How could they do it?)

I decided to write a rhyming nonsense story in exactly 50 words (title not included). I hope you and your children enjoy it.

Dr. Seuss was also known for political cartoons, criticizing the US for its “America First” policies before joining WWII. Not that those cartoons are fit children, but to demonstrate that even someone known for entertaining children also had the capacity to use few words to make powerful points.

I love Dr. Seuss! ❤ And we just finished a dinner of…wait for it…green eggs and ham. #truestory After dinner, my husband read Green Eggs and Ham out loud. He's a good egg. (Sorry, I so couldn't help that.) We do this every year. It's ridiculous and fun.

P.S. I wrote this at 1 AM last night when I couldn't sleep and left it for my kids so they'd find it in the morning. 😀

Thursday, March 2nd
Is Dr. Seuss Day
We'll read all his books
Now, what do you say?

You're never too old
To read Dr. Seuss
His fun, silly stories
Like Thidwick the moose

We'll read about Horton
The Grinch and a cat
Who's really quite tall
And wears a large hat

And after all that
Just what will we do?
Why I think we will eat
Some pink bruzlenut stew

Or, if you prefer,
We can ask our friend Sam
Of course! He will say
Eat some green eggs and ham

*applause* *standing ovation* I love your poem, Sarah. You are so clever. It is so Dr Seuss, he could have written it himself. I love the way you celebrate Dr Seuss Day. How great to have Green Eggs and Ham read aloud to you by a good egg, or is that a ham?
Have fun. Thank you so much for sharing. )

I join Norah and applauding you, Sarah on this one! What a delightful way to remind your family of Dr. Seuss’ birthday! Personally, I’m awed by the fact that this is what you were able to accomplish at 1 a.m. Amazing! 🙂

I’m SUCH a Dr. Seuss fan. Always have been; always will be 😀 Of course, stand outs for me include THE CAT IN THE HAT, and the two that my son enjoyed most when (and how) I read them to him were GREEN EGGS AND HAM and MARVIN K. MOONEY, WILL YOU PLEASE GO NOW? 🙂 And a new favorite will be HORTON HEARS A WHO

Thank you for sharing your favourites, Donna. The Cat in the Hat is such fun. I took the little ones to a stage play of it a couple of years ago. I wondered how it would be, but it was hilarious. They did a great job. I don’t know Marvin K. Mooney. I’ll have to check it out. 🙂